Real Fighter Pilot Walks You Through the REQUIREMENTS to Become a Fighter Pilot (2020) 

I feel so lucky I fill all the requirements, I don’t care what my chances are I am going to become a usaf pilot no matter what

Just passed the ASTB for the Marines today, I’m really exited one more step closer to my goal!

My childhood dream was to become a fighter pilot. I was obsessed with aviation from the time I could talk. I lived and breathed facts on fighters and devoured any books on them I came across. I played sims, etc. I was convinced it was my calling in life. Then in grade 5, I had a bad teacher who told me I would never be good enough to fly because I wasn't very good at math (I was great at geometry but struggled in other areas he was teaching). I gave up on my dream as a result because I let that criticism get to me, and it is one of the greatest regrets I have to this very day at the age of 41. Do not make the same mistake I did. Never let anyone tell you that you can't do it. A video like this when I was young would have changed the whole course of my life. Believe in yourself, don't take no for an answer, work hard, and you can achieve what I chose not to. At the end of the day, it was a choice on my end to believe that teacher instead of working even harder to prove him wrong. I hope all of you who share the same dream that I did manage to reach your goals. God bless.

6:25 That's great to hear for aspiring fighter pilots. 20 years ago, I didn't have 20/20 and that ruled me out. Flying with contacts, glasses, surgery?? That is refreshing to hear. I ended up getting LASIK 10 years later. By then I was already established flying in the civilian industry. Great channel you have going.

It's such a relief hearing that I don't need really good vision. I'm hopeful gonna try to apply next spring, thx for this video Hasard.

Have a family member who flew C130s. The recruiter said he was ineligible for some reason. He switched recruiters after taking to one of our cousins who’s also in the USAF and made it in. Moral: If you really want in, don’t give up, persevere!

Becoming a fighter pilot was my child dream and still is (I’m 34 so my hopes are gone) but if I had all this info back then I would have definitely had my dream come true.

If Hasard is not the most fighter pilot name I have ever seen, I don’t know what is.

thanks a lot for uploading these requirements, especially the portion on vision. I had no idea it was that lenient.

Waw Hasard, very clear on the requirements. Always dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, but unfortunately are unable due to the citizenship. So now I live part of my dream as a bush and airline pilot. You’re doing an awesome job in “recruiting” youngsters. Keep it up & good luck with the remainder of your career!

Thanks for these videos. You are helping me achieve my goal every time you upload. Thank you.

At 25 years old, I'm just now enlisting in the Navy. It was my dream since childhood to become a fighter pilot, but of course life has taken me on different paths. While serving, I plan to complete a STEM degree and work towards achieving my goal of becoming a fighter pilot. Don't ever give up on your dreams!

There is someone in my high school that got their pilot’s license in high school. I’m not sure if many schools do it but mine does.

Excellent videos, Mr. Lee ... I've always been sort of a "pilot groupie" .... when I was a little kid, my best friend of the time and I were GOING to be B-58 pilots! I think between us, we knew back then almost every unclassified detail of the Hustler ... (both dads were AF - my dad was a B58 crew chief) ... tells you how old I am ... but even long after 20 years as a navy enlisted, I'm still very enthusiastic about USAF and navy aircraft and pilots !!! Thanks again. Now I gotta find more of your vids! :)

I’m currently enlisted in the AF and on my 6th year and just re-enlisted!! This gives me huge hope. I going to be a pilot no matter what. Believe it!!

Retired AF Bufff RN 1988. Love your channel. Very informative session. Keep up the great work!

Nice video! Good to learn the vision requirements have evolved and that even surgery is done "in house". Cheers.

To the point information and very useful presentation . Thank you Sir🇺🇸

Huge relief hearing about flying with glasses and contacts. I knew you didn’t have to have 2020 vision but I heard that you can’t fly with contacts in. I’ll have to look into it some more to see what my vision is right now, but that was a sigh of relief.

This is absolutely great video. Thank you.

Love that your starting to get into creating RU-vid content. Loved for your podcast but prefer this above all. Currently waiting for a waiver for some knee surgeries I had a while back. My cousin is Rhett “hero” Hierlmeier. He has been guiding me throughout this process!

"You do not need perfect vision to become a fighter pilot" "refractive error plus 2 to minus 3". Ok I can't become a fighter pilot in the US airforce, and still can't become a fighter pilot in Italy, because you need perfect vision here in Italy

So glad I qualify in all the above. This dream is looking more achievable every day.

Hey Hasard! You were the main inspiration to me joining the AFROTC this year and I can’t wait to maybe meet you as a fellow officer one day!

Thank you for clarifying the vision requirements, I use glasses and I was worried that it would prevent me from being able to fly in the air force but this information is assuring.

Thanks for the video!! Very helpful!!

My Asthma got me really nervous for becoming a pilot but it was diagnosed when I was still playing biddy league soccer so I’m good on the asthma front, thanks for the video, af website was very confusing for me

Great video, thanks for all the valuable info

I’m 22, I meet all the requirements. I have had one year of college. Since I was little I just knew I wanted to go fast. I don’t know where to begin but this video helped. I know I can do it.

This was a amazing video, gave me plenty of information 😊

Thank you this was very much helpful

Thank you for these videos, its been a lifelong dream of mine to be a fighter pilot. I'm applying to join ROTC this fall, hopefully I'll be a pilot in a few years.

I will try my best! Good luck to everyone!

Thanks for the good info .

I was in ROTC at Samford University (Birmingham Alabama) back in the mid to late 1980s. I had a navigators slot. Just before I was supposed to go off to McClellan AFB in California for training between my Sophomore and Junior year, we received word that the AFROTC program was being permanent closed at Samford. I was so disappointed. I ended up joining the Air Guard that summer with hopes of eventually getting a nav slot in an RF-4C Phantom. My dad and uncle flew F-4s. Well, the Air Force retired the F-4s in 1996, before I could gain a nav slot. I left the Air Guard when the base became an air refueling wing. Becoming a Air Force aviator takes a little luck too! I’m retired now and am working on obtaining my private pilots license. The dream to fly never left me!

I was working at BTV when our first two f-35's came in. Such talented pilots in the 158th.

This was actually a pretty cool video. The asthma would have disqualified me, but it is cool that height and vision are not hinderances anymore.

Thank you so much! It’s my dream to fly but I previously thought that you couldn’t be over 6ft 3in to fly!

Good to hear I meet every meet every requirement but I am enlisted but I'm gonna do AFROTC and do my best to get a pilot slot.

The astigmatism clause is probably because you may have a difficult time reading your hud. I know as a shooter that people with astigmatisms will sometimes experience a “blooming effect “ when using a red dot type weapons system, that is the dot will actually appear larger and fuzzy. It’s almost like seeing a rose image instead of just a single dot . Astigmatisms however have no effect when using a holographic type weapons systems, ie an EOtech or the Vortex Huey.

The base that im joining for the Air NG flys F-15s. I hope to be able to fly those one day once i graduate college. I'll be doing civilian pilot training in the meantime, and my goal is to get a job in the guard that has me working on the aircraft, so hopefully those two things will help out my case when the time comes to apply

When he said, "you do not need to have perfect vision to be a fighter pilot" I was SO RELIVED. When I went to the eye doctor and heard I did not have 20/20 vision like I thought I did, NO JOKE I BROKE DOWN IN TEARS thinking my dreams were over. I decided to do more research online and kept on getting mixed answers. Thank you for clearing this up and for redeeming my hope 🙏🙏

Awesome Vid. Missed the cutoff by over 14 years.

Thank you for making this! I am not old enough to be a pilot yet but I thought I would never be able to because of my vision. I got sad thinking I couldn’t because I wear glasses but since you don’t need to have perfect vision I still have a chance!

Love you guys. all you have to be is super smart and in great shape, easy.

Becoming a pilot would be so amazing. I’m going for medical in AFROTC though.

I wish I was just dealing with ADHD, I got hit with bipolar disorder, depression, and a few other things growing up. Pills and everything. It's been 10+ years since I got off the pills and got out of treatment. But as much as I would love to fly and join the Air Force, I'm not sure what my chances would be of even getting in. But thank you to all who serve. As an American I am happy to honor our military personnel.

One of my greatest dreams was to become a U.S. fighter pilot. I am about to graduate as a Mechanical Engineer but unfortunately my age range is almost running out, I am 29 now. If that dream of becoming a fighter jet does not come true, at least I wish/hope that as a Mechanical Engineer I get the chance to fix any of those beautiful fighter jets. My most sincere respect to those who protect us.

Great information!!!

I watched the first F 35s to land at The Air Guards in BTV. Nice stuff.

Great piece. Almost all kids at one time....if they could make it....would do what it takes. It's such a life changing event to realize how advanced our avionics has come. I'm raising an eyebrow at refurbishing 15's or 16's...i can't remember...maybe because our Airforce is so advanced that we are taking some weight out of our gloves so we can make it fair. Just kidding. I know the military will take 20 to 1 odds any day in life or death struggles. Thanks for being a badass. My grandfather was a navigator on B-17's. Did whatever the requirement was then got asked to do 3 more sorties. He's a hero in my mind. Like you.

I plan to go into the AF and I would like to be a pilot. It seems way easier than I thought. I have perfect vision, I can go to school while in to get a simple 4 year degree & train and become an officer. Whatever it takes. I’ve always wanted to fly one. Seems amazing to be able to go that fast

Hasard Lee great man

Damn, wish I had all of this info 10 years ago... Great video for future pilots though. Nice job.

Great video

Thank you so much dude

Can you make a video about Commisioning programs that enlisted members can take advantage of to start a path on becoming a pilot? For example ASCP and SOAR.

Just saw a f-35 demo at the great Colorado air show on October 17 and it was bad ass

I recently passed the CFAST for the RCAF. Hoping I get selected, but it is a quite a long journey before I get to fly. Still need to get that degree

You are a bundle of knowledge, wisdom, and mentor for a far brighter generation. Unfortunately, I did not attain your level of education during my years in the Navy but I was grateful to experience life in the Persian gulf war. Thank you for your expertise my friend. You sure are super smart.😊😊

I’m 13, but I still fill most of the requirements. I’ll have to wait a while, but that’s okay, I’ll try some rotc and cadet programs in my town. Thank you so much for the video, helped me a lot.

This is a great video. Watch it if you are confused about any of the rules.

I’m currently 15 and I would still love to do this I’m taking ROTC for high school and hope everything goes well

This is my dream job I have always wanted to be a Air Force pilot

I’ll find out in a month or so if I get a pilot slot! I’m excited!

It's cool that the air force is less strict about this than I thought, but what about bladder weaknesses?

Very good video

Thank you

Very nice ! 👍

Thank you sir

Here in Canada the RCAF currently has troubles with training fighter pilots. The wait time for Phase 2 can take over 2 years.

Amazing. I meet at these requirements except for the age. I hold a Bachelors degree in Astrophysics with a minor in Mathematics. While in college I got my private pilot cert, then knocked out my IFR, multi, & commercial. I’ve been flying freight since I was 24 in E120’s, Lear 35’s, DC9’s with A LOT of hours in various weather conditions. I’m 35 now and I was told that I was too old. Biologically, I look and feel 25. I’ve always taken care of my health. Maybe I should travel and see if anyone other recruiters will take me, I feel cheated

This helps so much the only downside is that my vision goes left to right eye -4.75 and -4.00 and man I hope this isn’t a deal breaker. With contacts I got perfect vision and even with my bad eyesight I managed really well and got 20/20 vision without contacts in which surprised my eye doctor. But if that isn’t a deal breaker, I’m stuck between deciding the Acadamy in Colorado or ROTC at a college in my state.

Regarding pilot training age limits (4:34). Hasard Lee: "I've never heard of anybody going through pilot training at age 18." Here's your example. I'm a retired Air Force and commercial airline pilot. My first assignment following USAF pilot training (1979) was to serve as an instructor pilot (FAIP) at Sheppard AFB, TX. At that time, our squadron trained student pilots from the German and Dutch air forces. I was given one of each as my first two students. Lt Sander Panis (Dutch) was 18 and Lt Haider Klaus (German) was 22. At that time, Dutch candidates ascended into pilot training directly out of high school after first attending a three month officer training program. Both were talented and hard working and were assigned to fly the F-5A and F-4E respectively following graduation. Two years later, I was privileged to serve as an initial cadre PIT instructor for the Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program at Sheppard, whereby Americans and all of our NATO pilot candidates were trained for a future in fighter aircraft. ENJJPT continues in that mission to this day. So, yes, you can attend Undergraduate Pilot Training at the tender age of 18, and here is your example.

Even as a Canadian this video has relived me of some stress as I do have glasses.

Thanks for the info Hasard. Currently waiting to get medically cleared so I can apply for OTS. I hope to fly just like you someday!

Hasard, can you elaborate on why you would NOT got enlisted --> OTC --> Pilot?

I'm not even 18 yet but I already fit all the requirements. Just need to get into college and I'll be golden.

Thank you for this video My youngest son wants to be an Air Force pilot and turns 18 in 2 days. We will be going to visit the local usaf recruiter ❤❤🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🕊🕊🕊🕊

I spoke to a young guy who flies f-16 for NORAD, and he moved into that jet quite fast with them...

Your great 👍

I enjoy watching your videos best wishes from Scotland and Inverness airport from sylvia Stirnimann

guess im going back for a masters or applying for a guard base squad

7:10 basically the further from zero the worse your eyes are - numbers means you're nearsighted + numbers mean you're farsighted

Hi Hasard, I got 2 questions, how does the air force treat mild COPD ( chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ) for a fighter pilot slot? For my case the doctor said the test results are questionable and it is not concrete so it might be just due to seasonal allergies. This was 3 years ago and I made some changes to my health. I quit smoking hookah permanently (over 1 year now) and weight lifting. My other question is when does the air force do pulmonary testing for lung health in the selection process ? Thank you for your time !

I’m a 17 year old who always wanted to be A pilot and I’m not a genius or anything but I had ALC and meniscus surgery last year I’m am athlete with great endurance. And also have ADD and maybe ADHD.

Thanks for naming this important video. My biggest worry that I will not become any type of pilot rather an Air Force or airline pilot is my vision because it’s really poor. But like you said should I wait till I get into the Air Force to get a Lasik eye surgery rather than doing it outside the Air Force? Thank you

Huge relief of him saying any degree

I have to retake my AFOQT, that test way way harder than I thought it was going to be

I’m 34, going on 35 end of may.. I’m going to give it a go and try my luck at a waiver

Don't forget the importance of having a competitive pilot score on the AFOQT and TBAS. I got an ANG slot, went through OTS, and was in SUPT for five months at Vance, but ultimately couldn't keep up with the tempo and washed out. It was a great learning experience though. If you don't have an AFOQT pilot score that's at least in the upper 80's/90's, you probably won't get an interview (for you folks going the AFRES/ANG route). Take a ton of timed AFOQT practice tests before taking the actual test.

Got a good TBAS score, got everything perfect, but my GPA ruined my chance back in the day, and ended up getting 13N

If I wanted to fly heavies would that be pretty much the same process I enlisted into the guard and hope to fly C-130s, and would getting any flight hours help me get into a C-130 seat.

He didn't mention the accident rate. Most of us did just fine, but of all the guys I flew with about six or eight were victims of the ground rising up and smiting them at 250Kts+. More than six or eight really, but those are the ones I can still picture in my mind fifty years later.

My ROTC NCOs told me I needed 20/20 vision uncorrected to be qualified to be a pilot. I got a PRK surgery in accordance with their directions and then was qualified to apply to pilot. Sadly, the rates board didn’t pick me up. I’m going to be a missileer instead.

When is the optimal time to apply to a Guard Base?

Hasard, JUICE here with a question...my High School Freshman Daughter (Class of 2025) is well on track to fill her requirements for USAFA acceptance and she wants to serve in Bio Sciences in the Air Force after graduation. However, the biology program she desires is offered at The Military Academy at West Point. I remember when I was in the 98th Air Refueling Squadron in the day, we had a Lieutenant, a Maintenance Officer who graduated from the Naval Academy. QUESTION: Do you have any information on Academy Exchange Programs and could you vector us in the right direction to find more information on cross-service academy programs? Love your channel, thanks for sharing and push it up...BTW, I was a Panton and caught what you said, you Juvat!

You ever did a video on test pilot or know where I can find one?

As an airline pilot, i would love to try flying the new trainer Saab-Boeing T-X.. cool small jet .

I have a question and hopefully you see this. Are you familiar with pectus exavatum and if so what role and or effect does that have on pilot candidacy?